Newcastle: Gays Go Surfing Down Under

Fans of Abercrombie & Fitch's homoerotic ads, rejoice: Your flick is here. Director Dan Castle's debut has lots of hot Australian dudes frolicking nude on a remote beach. But for argument's sake, let's pretend Newcastle actually is—as SIFF insisted last year—a coming-of-age story about surfing, sibling rivalry, and romance. Considered under those terms, Jesse (Lachlan Buchanan) is a 17-year-old with potential to compete on the international surf circuit, if he'd get over his plethora of hangups. He fears he can never live up to the legacy of his older brother, Victor (Reshad Strik), a former surf sensation. He's embarrassed by his gay twin brother, Fergus (Xavier Samuel), who bears a weird resemblance to The Cure's Robert Smith. Oh, worst of all, he's still a virgin. Besides the surfing, this means that Newcastle hinges upon a weekend excursion made by Jesse and his friends that will change his life forever. More memorable are the skin-tastic beach romps and big-wave action sequences. (NR)